In connection with the death of a 26-year-old Starkville woman, a former Tupelo police officer will avoid jail time after taking a plea deal.
James Heath Kitchens, 30, pleaded guilty to the charge of manslaughter with culpable negligence.
Brittany Phillips, who was the mother of Kitchens’ child, was hit by a vehicle driven by Kitchens in November 2020 on Riviera Road in Starkville. She later succumbed to her injuries at OCH Regional Medical Center.
Officials never confirmed whether the incident was classified as a domestic dispute. The former law enforcement officer was released on a $25,000 bond the day after Phillips passed away.
Kitchens, who served as a Tupelo police officer from January 2019 to May 2020, was sentenced to seven years of probation and no time in jail as a part of the plea deal.
